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BMW states 4.8 s but Edmunds.com states 5.3-5.5s, this is a huge discrepancy. I tend to believe Edmunds since manufacturers often put a * next to their claims. By today's standards, only cars with under 5s 0-60 time can be considered supercars, is the E46 M3 a supercar?

BMW states 4.8 s but Edmunds.com states 5.3-5.5s, this is a huge discrepancy. I tend to believe Edmunds since manufacturers often put a * next to their claims. By today's standards, only cars with under 5s 0-60 time can be considered supercars, is the E46 M3 a supercar?

It also depends on what tires, what the track surface is like, what the track temp is like, what were the tire temps, what the driver is like (how well does he launch and shift), what the air temp and himidyt are (changes HP).

All these variables make each run a bit different. Think about it, if it was something that didn't change around ,why would there be draqg racing? Just run one 1/4 miles pass and until someone runs a faster on, you win every event.

It also depends on what tires, what the track surface is like, what the track temp is like, what were the tire temps, what the driver is like (how well does he launch and shift), what the air temp and himidyt are (changes HP).

All these variables make each run a bit different. Think about it, if it was something that didn't change around ,why would there be draqg racing? Just run one 1/4 miles pass and until someone runs a faster on, you win every event.

All true - but wait, there's more!

First of all, I don't think anybody is conferring supercar status based on 0-60 times, but if there actually was a gate on this, it's likely to be below four seconds.

Secondly, people measure this differently. For instance, you will never get an 0-60 time on a stock E46 M3 below five seconds unless you use electronic instrumentation that doesn't start timing until the car has already launched and has rolled about a foot. Such equipment is designed that way to mimic drag strip timers, and the difference is in the vicinity of a half-second or so. If you measure with a hand held stopwatch from clutch drop, a flawless run will likely get you somethingup near six seconds, because now you have to add the time it takes to take up the slack in the drivetrain, plus your speedo is a little behind actual at the time you hit 60 because of needle and mechanism inertia.

Lastly, a zero to 60 time is not a really effective way to determine how "fast" a given car is, assuming faster means "who's ahead?" at any given point. Time to speed has essentially nothing to do with time to distance, so the car that reaches 60 a little later than another car may be ahead of that car at the time. Happens all the time.

Bruce

EDIT: To answer the last question in the OP; No, the M3 isn't a supercar - but it is a performance bargain. There are very few cars on the planet that can outperform an E46 at that dollar point. In fact, on quick reflection I can only think of two: The Corvette and the Mustang GT500. Even then, the Mustang will likely lose (narrowly) to the M3 on a road course even if it is a little quicker in a drag race.

First of all, I don't think anybody is conferring supercar status based on 0-60 times, but if there actually was a gate on this, it's likely to be below four seconds.

To answer the last question in the OP; No, the M3 isn't a supercar - but it is a performance bargain. There are very few cars on the planet that can outperform an E46 at that dollar point. In fact, on quick reflection I can only think of two: The Corvette and the Mustang GT500. Even then, the Mustang will likely lose (narrowly) to the M3 on a road course even if it is a little quicker in a drag race.

There are not that many manufactured cars out there with 0-60 time less than 4 secs, most usually costs hundreds of thousands and is only within reach for people in the top 1% of economic status. The cheapest under 4s car I know is the 2006 Porsche 911 Turbo which has a 3.4s timem that's FAST! The 2007 Porsche GT3 has a 4.1s time but it's still considered a supercar. Same for the Corvette Z06 which has a 4.5s time.

What! The E46 M3 is not supercar! I want to drive a supercar or at least a high performance vehicle with supercar acceleration like the Mitsubishi EVO, I was hoping the BMW E46 M3 is the one. BTW, I doubt BMW vehicles can be considered a bargain, same goes to Porsche, Audi, etc because there is a premium price for the brand name. The Chevrolet Corvette is a bargain because the brand name is not premium but the performance is.

. The cheapest under 4s car I know is the 2006 Porsche 911 Turbo which has a 3.4s timem that's FAST! The 2007 Porsche GT3 has a 4.1s time but it's still considered a supercar. Same for the Corvette Z06 which has a 4.5s time.

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The new Z06 is definitely capable of a sub 4sec 0-60 blast, especially since a 1-2 shift is not required, and requires less abuse than either of P-cars you mentioned.

The M3 is a massively compromised vehicle that does everything adequately, but nothing well.

It depends on what you think the competition is. In the context of world-wide available automobiles, I'd say the E46 M3 is a car that does pretty much everything very well indeed, but nothing superbly. The exception perhaps is the ride-handling compromise, which is the one thing that I believe BMW does pretty much better than anybody else, as a rule. Of course, it doesn't either ride superbly or handle superbly.

What do you mean it can't process toq??? IT IS EXACTLY THE SAME TRANNY.

The ONLY thing that makes a difference in SMG versus MT off the line is that the SMG does not allow you to choose your launch RPM. From 5 - xx speed, the two are the same, except for driver shifting skills.

M3 is definitely no way near the supercar status, its a performance car with great handling and decent power. compared to the E39 M5, 0-60 time is about the same, but after 80mph, M5 will start to pull away.according to the automobile magazine Aug 2006 issue, Chevy is going to built a 650hp Z06 or call it Z07. They will either increase the LS7 engine displacement or just add a supercharger to pump out additional 145hp and that is Ferrari Enzo's category with 1/10th of its price..*****!!

What do you mean it can't process toq??? IT IS EXACTLY THE SAME TRANNY.

The ONLY thing that makes a difference in SMG versus MT off the line is that the SMG does not allow you to choose your launch RPM. From 5 - xx speed, the two are the same, except for driver shifting skills.

yes you can choose your launch RPM with SMG. Turn off DSC , now you will be able to get the 6th bar for your smg shifting speed.Push shifter forward and hold it in that position, now step on gas and start releasing shifter back to its position but do it slowly. Try it a coule of time in the empty parking lot . let me know what you think of that

M3 is definitely no way near the supercar status, its a performance car with great handling and decent power. compared to the E39 M5, 0-60 time is about the same, but after 80mph, M5 will start to pull away.according to the automobile magazine Aug 2006 issue, Chevy is going to built a 650hp Z06 or call it Z07. They will either increase the LS7 engine displacement or just add a supercharger to pump out additional 145hp and that is Ferrari Enzo's category with 1/10th of its price..*****!!

So I guess BMW doesn't make any supercar for sale then. If M3 is not a super car, then M5 and M6 aren't too. Maybe the BMW M3 GTR is?

its sad to say, BMW company is aiming for mass production vehicles and the sales/profit quota is their primary goal. they will make an engine that fits numerous models of vehicles and make most $$ for the company. making an exclusive super car that only numbers of people can afford is just not their ideology. for example, the most expensive BMW nowaday is the M6 which is around 110k after the msrp, mean while their biggest rival Mercedes's AMG has already push their price tag of the S, CL, SL65 AMG over $180,000 and it could go above 200k after the msrp, and lets not talk about the SLR Mclaren.

M3 GTR is not a super car, its not street legal and its modified from the regular M3, it can consider as a track car for race events. the only super car from BMW that i can think of is the Mclaren F1 93'-97'...WELL...it can ONLY considered A half BMW because ONLY the engine is made by BMW.